1. Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and a server, and more particularly, to embodiments of these devices that are optimal for protecting highly secret information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Presently-available image forming apparatuses include a hard disk drive that stores image data read from a scanner and image data transmitted from a host computer via a network, and can store the image data of each user in a folder corresponding thereto by managing folders on a user basis.
It is also possible to prevent the image data from being visually accessed by a third party other than a folder manager by setting a password for the folder.
In general, people will refrain from accessing secret information saved on an image forming apparatus if a manager who has saved that secret information onto the apparatus is also present in the room. However, people may access the information when the manager is absent from the room. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the secret information in the absence of the manager.
There is technology for transferring image data stored in the image forming apparatus' storage means to a server to thereby prevent the possibility that the storage means runs out of memory. There is also technology for encrypting the image data stored in the storage means and saving the image data to the server. However, there is no disclosure of those technologies in terms of protecting secret information stored on the image forming apparatus while the manager is absent from the room.
Alternatively, there is a technology configured to determine when a manager has entered or left a room containing an image forming apparatus; password verification is not required to open a folder when the manager of the folder is present in the room, but is required after the manager leaves the room.
However, the above-mentioned technology is configured to protect the secret information by using a password, and hence a third party who happens to know the password is allowed to have access to the secret information.